JP2017072200A - Electronic control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic control device which suppresses switching to a parking range being delayed, while suppressing rise in temperature in an actuator drive part and an actuator.SOLUTION: An electronic control device includes: a delay setting part for setting delay time; a shift determination part for outputting a switching signal after elapse of the delay time after the input of a switching request; and an actuator drive part. In the case where a new switching request is inputted within the delay time, the shift determination part determines a shift range based on the switching request inputted last. In the case where the switching request to a parking range is inputted, the delay setting part shortens the delay time compared to the case where the switching request is inputted to the shift range other than the parking range from the parking range.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The disclosure in this specification relates to an electronic control device that controls driving of an actuator in order to switch a shift range of an automatic transmission.

  Conventionally, as described in Patent Document 1, an A / T control computer (electronic control device) that controls driving of a hydraulic control device (actuator) in order to switch a shift range of an automatic transmission is known. The A / T control computer includes a means for setting a delay time (delay setting section) and a means for issuing a shift command (shift determination section).

  The means for issuing a shift command issues a shift command based on the last shift determination when there is a shift determination within the delay time. By setting the delay time, it is possible to prevent the shift range of the automatic transmission from being switched more than necessary. Thereby, the drive frequency of the hydraulic control apparatus in the A / T control computer can be reduced.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-11033

  In the above configuration, by reducing the drive frequency of the hydraulic control device, it is possible to suppress the portion of the A / T control computer that drives the hydraulic control device and the hydraulic control device from becoming high temperature. By the way, as a shift range switching, switching from a shift range other than the parking range to the parking range can be considered. In the above configuration in which the delay time is set, there is a possibility that switching to the parking range is delayed.

  The present disclosure has been made in view of such a problem, and provides an electronic control device that suppresses delay in switching to a parking range while suppressing the actuator driving unit and the actuator from becoming high temperature. Objective.

  The present disclosure employs the following technical means to achieve the above object. In addition, the code | symbol in parenthesis shows the correspondence with the specific means in the following embodiment as one aspect | mode, and does not limit a technical range.

One of the present disclosure is an electronic control device that controls driving of the actuator (400) and switches the shift range in response to a switching request input to switch the shift range of the automatic transmission (500) of the vehicle. ,
Based on the switching request, a delay setting unit (120) that sets a delay time from the input of the switching request to the start of shift range switching;
A shift determining unit (140) for determining a shift range to be switched based on the switching request and outputting a switching signal after a delay time has elapsed since the switching request was input;
An actuator driver (170) for driving the actuator based on the switching signal;
With
When a new switching request is input within the delay time, the shift determination unit determines the shift range based on the switching request that is input last,
When a request for switching to the parking range is input, the delay setting unit shortens the delay time compared to when a request for switching from the parking range to the shift range other than the parking range is input.

  In the above configuration, even when a new switching request is input within the delay time, the shift range is determined based only on the switching request input last. According to this, the actuator is driven based only on the switching request inputted last. Therefore, the actuator drive frequency in the actuator drive unit can be reduced. Therefore, it can suppress that an actuator and an actuator drive part become high temperature.

  Moreover, in the said structure, when the switch request | requirement to a parking range is input, delay time is shortened. According to this, it is possible to suppress delay in switching to the parking range.

It is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of an electronic control unit concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a figure which shows the temperature with respect to the drive of a motor. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of a mode setting process. It is a figure for demonstrating a mode setting process. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of a timing determination process. It is a timing chart which shows the change demand of a shift lever, and the drive of an actuator. It is a timing chart which shows the change demand of a shift lever, and the drive of an actuator. It is a figure for demonstrating the mode setting process in the electronic control apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a timing chart which shows the change demand of a shift lever, and the drive of an actuator. It is a timing chart which shows the change demand of a shift lever, and the drive of an actuator. 14 is a timing chart illustrating a shift lever switching request and actuator driving in an electronic control device according to a third embodiment.

  This will be described with reference to the drawings. In a plurality of embodiments, common or related elements are given the same reference numerals.

(First embodiment)
First, based on FIG.1 and FIG.2, schematic structure of the electronic control apparatus 100 is demonstrated.

  The electronic control device 100 is an ECU for a vehicle. A shift lever 200 is disposed in the vehicle. The shift lever 200 is a device for selecting the shift range of the automatic transmission 500. Automatic transmission 500 can also be referred to as an automatic transmission. When the user operates the shift lever 200, the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 is switched. Shift lever 200 can also be referred to as a selector. Instead of the shift lever 200, a shift switch can be employed.

  The shift lever 200 is configured to be able to select a plurality of shift ranges including at least a parking range. The shift lever 200 outputs a signal corresponding to the selected shift range. Hereinafter, this signal is also referred to as a switching request. Hereinafter, the parking range is referred to as the P range. The P range is a shift range for stopping the vehicle. When the P range is selected, the vehicle is suppressed from moving even when the user depresses the accelerator pedal. When the P range is selected, the movement of the vehicle is suppressed even when the user forgets to apply the parking brake during parking.

  In the present embodiment, in the shift lever 200, a drive range, a reverse range, and a neutral range can be further selected. The drive range is a shift range for the vehicle to travel. If the drive range is selected, the vehicle moves forward. Hereinafter, the drive range is referred to as the D range. The reverse range is a shift range for the vehicle to move backward. Hereinafter, the reverse range is referred to as the R range.

  The neutral range is a shift range for separating the automatic transmission 500 from the wheels. Hereinafter, the neutral range is referred to as the N range. When the N range is selected, similarly to the P range, even when the user depresses the accelerator pedal, the movement of the vehicle is suppressed. However, when the N range is selected, unlike the P range, if the user forgets to apply the parking brake when parking on a slope or the like, the vehicle may move.

  Hereinafter, the D range, the R range, and the N range are collectively referred to as other ranges. The other range is a shift range other than the P range among the plurality of shift ranges. Other ranges can also be referred to as NotP ranges.

  The control unit 300 is a control device for a vehicle. The control unit 300 controls the automatic transmission 500 in accordance with a traveling state such as a vehicle speed, for example. The control unit 300 receives a signal of the shift lever 200 and outputs this signal to the electronic control device 100. That is, the switching request is input to the electronic control device 100 via the control unit 300. Note that an example in which the switching request is directly input from the shift lever 200 to the electronic control device 100 without using the control unit 300 may be employed.

  Based on the switching request, the electronic control unit 100 drives the actuator 400 to switch the shift range of the automatic transmission 500. The electronic control device 100 can also be referred to as a shift-by-wire control unit. The electronic control device 100 includes a request input unit 110, a delay setting unit 120, a mode setting unit 130, a shift determination unit 140, a temperature estimation unit 150, a current limiting unit 160, and an actuator driving unit 170. The functions of the electronic control device 100 are provided by software recorded in a memory and a computer that executes the software, software only, hardware only, or a combination thereof.

  The request input unit 110 is a part that determines whether or not the shift range of the shift lever 200 has been switched. A switching request is input to the request input unit 110 via the control unit 300. The request input unit 110 generates and outputs a request signal A corresponding to the shift range before and after switching in the shift lever 200 at the input timing of the switching request. The request input unit 110 outputs the request signal A to the delay setting unit 120 and the shift determination unit 140.

  For example, the input request is stored in a memory (not shown) every time a switching request is input. Then, the request input unit 110 compares the switching request stored in the memory with the switching request input from the control unit 300, and determines whether or not the shift range of the shift lever 200 has been switched.

  The delay setting unit 120 sets the delay time Td according to the request signal A. The delay time Td is provided to reduce the drive frequency of the actuator 400. The delay setting unit 120 generates a delay signal B and outputs it to the shift determination unit 140. The delay signal B is a signal corresponding to the delay time Td.

  The mode setting unit 130 sets a control mode for the actuator 400. The mode setting unit 130 sets any one of a plurality of control modes according to the temperature correlated with the temperature of the motor 410. Hereinafter, the process in which the mode setting unit 130 sets the control mode is referred to as a mode setting process. The mode setting process will be described in detail below. The mode setting unit 130 generates a mode signal C based on the set control mode. The mode setting unit 130 outputs a mode signal C to the delay setting unit 120, the shift determination unit 140, and the current limiting unit 160.

  The shift determination unit 140 determines a shift range to be switched. Specifically, shift determination unit 140 determines a shift range to be switched next with respect to the current shift range in automatic transmission 500. The shift determination unit 140 determines a shift range to be switched according to the request signal A. That is, shift determination unit 140 determines a shift range to be switched in automatic transmission 500 in response to the switching request. The shift determination unit 140 generates a switching signal D for switching the shift range of the automatic transmission 500. In other words, the shift determination unit 140 generates the switching signal D based on the rotation angle of the motor 410 according to the value of the request signal A. In the present embodiment, the motor 410 is a switched reluctance motor (SR motor).

  The switching signal D is, for example, a pulse signal that is periodically turned on and off. The shift determination unit 140 outputs three switching signals D to switch the energization timings of the U phase, V phase, and W phase in the motor 410. Shift determination unit 140 outputs switching signal D to temperature estimation unit 150 and current limiting unit 160.

  Further, the shift determination unit 140 outputs the switching signal D after the delay time Td has elapsed since the request signal A was input. That is, the shift determination unit 140 outputs the switching signal D after the delay time Td has elapsed since the switching request was input. Therefore, the shift determination unit 140 does not output the switching signal D when the request signal A is input within the delay time Td. As described above, the shift determination unit 140 determines the output timing of the switching signal D based on the delay time Td.

  When a new switching request is input within the delay time Td after the delay time Td has been set, the shift determination unit 140 determines the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 based on the last input switching request. . Hereinafter, the process of determining the output timing of the switching signal D according to the delay time Td is referred to as a timing determination process. The timing determination process will be described in detail below.

  The temperature estimation unit 150 estimates the temperature of the motor 410 according to the switching signal D. In other words, the temperature estimation unit 150 detects a temperature correlated with the temperature of the motor 410 according to the switching signal D. That is, the temperature value estimated by the temperature estimation unit 150 is a value correlated with the actual temperature in the motor 410. A method for estimating the temperature will be described below. The temperature estimation unit 150 outputs a temperature signal E based on the estimated temperature to the mode setting unit 130. The temperature estimation unit 150 corresponds to the temperature detection unit described in the claims. The temperature estimation unit 150 can also be referred to as a temperature acquisition unit.

  The current limiter 160 limits the drive current of the motor 410. The drive current is a current applied to the motor 410 by the electronic control device 100. The current limiting unit 160 functions when the control mode for limiting the drive current is set. The switching signal D is input from the shift determination unit 140 to the actuator driving unit 170 via the current limiting unit 160.

  As a method for limiting the drive current, for example, the switching signal D and the PWM signal are input to the AND circuit. In the control mode for limiting the drive current, for example, the duty ratio of the PWM signal is set to a value of about 90% to 70%. On the other hand, in the control mode in which the drive current is not limited, the duty ratio of the PWM signal is set to 100%. Thereby, in the control mode for limiting the drive current, the ON time of the switching signal D can be shortened. Therefore, the energization time of the motor 410 can be shortened.

  In addition, the current limiting unit 160 may set a driving current range for the actuator driving unit 170. In other words, the current limiter 160 may set an allowable drive current value for the actuator driver 170. Hereinafter, an allowable driving current value in the actuator driving unit 170 is referred to as an allowable current value.

  In this example, the current limiting unit 160 outputs a signal indicating an allowable current value in addition to the switching signal D. Based on this signal, an allowable current value is set in the actuator driving section 170. When the allowable current value is set, the actuator driving unit 170 limits the drive current so that the drive current does not exceed the allowable current value. For example, the allowable current value is set in advance before the actuator driving unit 170 is operated by the switching signal D. Further, the allowable current value may be set while the actuator driving unit 170 is operating.

  The actuator driving unit 170 drives the motor 410, that is, the actuator 400 based on the switching signal D. In the present embodiment, the actuator driving unit 170 is an inverter having a switching element. Based on the switching signal D, the switching element is ON / OFF controlled. For example, the actuator driving unit 170 is configured using a driver IC.

  The actuator 400 is mechanically connected to the automatic transmission 500 and switches the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 according to the control of the electronic control device 100. The actuator 400 has a motor 410. The output shaft 412 of the motor 410 is mechanically connected to a detent mechanism (not shown) in the automatic transmission 500. The detent mechanism is mechanically connected to a gear (not shown) of the automatic transmission 500. As the motor 410 rotates, the connection structure between the detent mechanism and the gear changes. Due to this change in the connection structure, the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 is switched.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the temperature of the motor 410 is rapidly increased by driving. Then, the temperature of the motor 410 decreases after the drive is stopped. The temperature of the motor 410 changes more per unit time when it is being driven than when the drive is stopped. That is, the temperature of the motor 410 rapidly increases due to driving, but is difficult to decrease after the driving is stopped. In other words, it takes time to lower the temperature of the motor 410.

  By the way, when the shift range is switched, the work amount of the motor 410 varies depending on the shift range before and after the switching. The work amount of the motor 410 is a value based on the rotation angle of the motor 410. In other words, the work amount of the motor 410 is a value based on the amount by which the detent mechanism is moved. The higher the work amount of the motor 410, the higher the temperature rise of the motor 410. The correspondence relationship between the shift range before and after switching and the rising temperature of the motor 410 is stored in advance in a memory, for example. Based on this correspondence and the switching signal D, the temperature estimation unit 150 estimates the temperature of the motor 410.

  Next, a specific control procedure of the mode setting process of the mode setting unit 130 will be described based on FIG. 3 and FIG.

  For example, when the temperature signal E is input from the temperature estimation unit 150, the mode setting unit 130 starts the mode setting process. In other words, the mode setting process starts when the mode setting unit 130 acquires the temperature signal E from the temperature estimation unit 150. Note that the mode setting unit 130 may perform the mode setting process every predetermined period, for example.

  In the mode setting process, the temperature of the motor 410 is compared with a threshold value, and any one of a plurality of control modes is set. As this threshold value, three threshold values are stored in the storage unit in advance. Specifically, a first threshold Th1, a second threshold Th2 higher than the first threshold Th1, and a third threshold Th3 higher than the second threshold Th2 are stored as thresholds. In the present embodiment, the mode setting unit 130 sets a normal mode, a first suppression mode, a second suppression mode, and a heat generation guard mode as control modes.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the mode setting process, first, it is determined whether or not the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than the first threshold value Th1 (S10). Specifically, the mode setting unit 130 determines by comparing the value of the temperature signal E with a value corresponding to the first threshold Th1. The first threshold Th1 is a temperature for determining the temperature of the motor 410. The value corresponding to the first threshold Th1 is the value of the temperature signal E when the temperature of the motor 410 is the first threshold Th1.

  Next, when the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than the first threshold Th1 in S10, it is determined whether or not the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than the second threshold Th2 (S12). Specifically, the mode setting unit 130 determines by comparing the value of the temperature signal E with the value corresponding to the second threshold Th2. The second threshold Th2 is a temperature for determining the temperature of the motor 410. The value corresponding to the second threshold Th2 is the value of the temperature signal E when the temperature of the motor 410 is the second threshold Th2.

  Next, when the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than the second threshold Th2 in S12, it is determined whether or not the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than the third threshold Th3 (S14). Specifically, the mode setting unit 130 determines by comparing the value of the temperature signal E with the value corresponding to the third threshold Th3. The third threshold Th3 is a temperature for determining the temperature of the motor 410. The value corresponding to the third threshold Th3 is the value of the temperature signal E when the temperature of the motor 410 is the third threshold Th3.

  Next, when the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than the third threshold Th3 in S14, the mode setting unit 130 sets the heat generation guard mode (S16). When the heat generation guard mode is set, the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than when other control modes are set. Therefore, when the heat generation guard mode is set, heat generation of the motor 410 is suppressed as compared with the case where another control mode is set.

  The mode setting unit 130 outputs a mode signal C indicating the heat generation guard mode to the delay setting unit 120, the shift determination unit 140, and the current limiting unit 160. When the heat generation guard mode is set, the actuator driving unit 170 does not drive the actuator 400. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, when the heat generation guard mode is set, the driving of the actuator 400 is prohibited. That is, when the heat generation guard mode is set, driving of the motor 410 is prohibited.

  Based on the above, the actuator driver 170 drives the actuator 400 only when the temperature of the motor 410 is equal to or lower than the third threshold Th3. The third threshold Th3 corresponds to a switching prohibition threshold described in the claims. The heat generation guard mode corresponds to the drive inhibition mode described in the claims. The normal mode, the first suppression mode, and the second suppression mode correspond to the normal drive mode described in the claims.

  As a method for preventing the actuator driver 170 from driving the actuator 400, for example, the shift determining unit 140 does not turn on the switching element of the actuator driver 170. In other words, the shift determination unit 140 outputs a signal for turning off the switching element. Therefore, the shift determination unit 140 does not output the switching signal D.

  Note that the current limiting unit 160 may function as a method in which the actuator driving unit 170 does not drive the actuator 400. The current limiting unit 160 functions so as not to turn on the switching element of the actuator driving unit 170.

  If the temperature of the motor 410 is equal to or lower than the first threshold Th1 in S10, the mode setting unit 130 sets the normal mode (S18). When the normal mode is set, the temperature of the motor 410 is lower than when other control modes are set. Therefore, when the normal mode is set, the heat generation of the motor 410 is not suppressed and the responsiveness of the actuator 400 is improved as compared with the case where another control mode is set.

  The mode setting unit 130 outputs a mode signal C indicating the normal mode to the delay setting unit 120, the shift determination unit 140, and the current limiting unit 160. When the normal mode is set, the actuator 400 is driven based on the switching signal D. In other words, when the normal mode is set, driving of the actuator 400, that is, driving of the motor 410 is permitted. Specifically, the shift determination unit 140 performs on / off control of the switching element of the actuator driving unit 170 based on the switching signal D.

  Further, when the normal mode is set, the drive current of the motor 410 is not limited. That is, the current limiting unit 160 does not function. In other words, a sufficient amount of drive current is applied to the motor 410. According to this, the response of the actuator 400 can be improved as compared with the case where the drive current is limited.

  When the normal mode is set, the delay setting unit 120 does not delay the shift range switching. In other words, the delay setting unit 120 sets the delay time Td to 0. That is, the delay setting unit 120 does not set the delay time Td. According to this, the timing for starting the shift range switching is not delayed. Therefore, the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 is switched without delay as the shift lever 200 is operated.

  If the temperature of the motor 410 is equal to or lower than the second threshold Th2 in S12, the mode setting unit 130 sets the first suppression mode (S20). Specifically, the first suppression mode is set when the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than the first threshold Th1 and equal to or lower than the second threshold Th2. That is, when the first suppression mode is set, the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than when the normal mode is set. Therefore, when the first suppression mode is set, the heat generation of the motor 410 is suppressed compared to when the normal mode is set. Therefore, the first suppression mode can also be referred to as a heat generation suppression mode.

  The mode setting unit 130 outputs the mode signal C indicating the first suppression mode to the delay setting unit 120, the shift determination unit 140, and the current limiting unit 160. When the first suppression mode is set, driving of the actuator 400 is permitted. Further, when the first suppression mode is set, the drive current of the motor 410 is not limited.

  In addition, when the first suppression mode is set, when a request for switching from the P range to another range is input, the delay setting unit 120 sets the delay time Td. Thereby, the shift range switching start timing in the shift determination unit 140 is delayed.

  On the other hand, when the first suppression mode is set, when a switching request from another range to the P range is input, the delay setting unit 120 sets the delay time Td to 0. In other words, the delay setting unit 120 does not set the delay time Td. The first suppression mode corresponds to the quick parking mode described in the claims. The temperature range that is higher than the first threshold value Th1 and lower than or equal to the second threshold value Th2 corresponds to the rapid temperature range described in the claims. The second threshold Th2 corresponds to the upper limit value of the rapid temperature range described in the claims.

  According to the above, when the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than the first threshold Th1, when the request for switching from the P range to the other range is input, the delay time Td is set by the delay setting unit 120. On the other hand, when the temperature of the motor 410 is equal to or lower than the first threshold Th1, when a request for switching from the P range to another range is input, the delay time Td is set to zero. That is, when the temperature of the motor 410 is equal to or lower than the first threshold Th1, the delay time Td is shortened compared to the case where the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than the first threshold Th1.

  Therefore, in a configuration in which a request for switching from the P range to another range is input, the first threshold Th1 corresponds to the delay reduction threshold described in the claims. In the configuration in which a request for switching from the P range to another range is input, the normal mode corresponds to the short delay mode described in the claims. Further, in the configuration in which a request for switching from the P range to another range is input, the first suppression mode and the second suppression mode correspond to the long delay mode described in the claims.

  In S14, when the temperature of the motor 410 is equal to or lower than the third threshold Th3, the mode setting unit 130 sets the second suppression mode (S22). Specifically, the second suppression mode is set when the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than the second threshold Th2 and not more than the third threshold Th3. That is, when the second suppression mode is set, the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than when the normal mode and the first suppression mode are set. Therefore, when the second suppression mode is set, the heat generation of the motor 410 is suppressed compared to when the normal mode and the first suppression mode are set. Therefore, the second suppression mode can also be referred to as a heat generation suppression mode.

  The mode setting unit 130 outputs the mode signal C indicating the second suppression mode to the delay setting unit 120, the shift determination unit 140, and the current limiting unit 160. When the second suppression mode is set, driving of the actuator 400 is permitted.

  Further, when the second suppression mode is set, the drive current of the motor 410 is limited. That is, the current limiting unit 160 functions. The second threshold Th2 corresponds to the current limit threshold described in the claims. The second suppression mode corresponds to the current limit mode described in the claims. The normal mode and the first suppression mode correspond to the normal current mode described in the claims.

  When the second suppression mode is set, when a shift range switching request is input, the delay setting unit 120 sets the delay time Td. Specifically, when the second suppression mode is set, the delay setting unit 120 is input when a request for switching from the P range to another range is input and when a request for switching from the other range to the P range is input. Sets the delay time Td. In other words, when the second suppression mode is set, when a switching request is input, the delay time Td is set to a value greater than zero. As a result, the timing for starting the shift range switching is delayed.

  According to the above, when the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than the second threshold Th2, when the request for switching from the other range to the P range is input, the delay time is set by the delay setting unit 120. On the other hand, when the temperature of the motor 410 is equal to or lower than the second threshold Th2, when a request for switching from another range to the P range is input, the delay time Td is set to zero. That is, when the temperature of the motor 410 is equal to or lower than the second threshold Th2, the delay time Td is shortened compared to the case where the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than the second threshold Th2.

  Therefore, in a configuration in which a request for switching from another range to the P range is input, the second threshold Th2 corresponds to the delay reduction threshold described in the claims. In a configuration in which a request for switching from another range to the P range is input, the normal mode and the first suppression mode correspond to the short delay mode described in the claims. Further, in the configuration in which a request for switching from the other range to the P range is input, the second suppression mode corresponds to the long delay mode described in the claims. The mode setting unit 130 ends the mode setting process when the control mode is set.

  Next, a specific control procedure of timing determination processing in the shift determination unit 140 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 are timing charts when the first suppression mode is set.

  The shift determination unit 140 starts the timing determination process when the request signal A is input. That is, the shift determination unit 140 starts the timing determination process when a switching request is input to the request input unit 110.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in the timing determination process, first, the shift determination unit 140 determines whether the set control mode is the heat generation guard mode according to the mode signal C (S30). If the heat generation guard mode is set in S30, the shift determination unit 140 prohibits the actuator driving unit 170 from driving the actuator 400 (S32). Specifically, the shift determining unit 140 outputs a signal for turning off the switching element to the actuator driving unit 170.

  If a control mode other than the heat generation guard mode is set in S30, the shift determining unit 140 acquires the delay signal B (S34). That is, the shift determination unit 140 acquires the delay time Td. In other words, the delay setting unit 120 outputs the delay signal B to the shift determination unit 140 when a control mode other than the heat generation guard mode is set.

  Next, the shift determining unit 140 determines whether or not the current time is within the delay time Td (S36). That is, it is determined whether or not the delay time Td set by the delay setting unit 120 has ended. In other words, it is determined whether or not the delay time Td has elapsed since the switching request was input to the request input unit 110. If the current time is within the delay time Td in S36, it is again determined whether or not the current time is within the delay time Td (S36). Therefore, the determination in S36 is repeated until the delay time Td ends.

  When the request signal A is input within the delay time Td, the shift determining unit 140 does not output the switching signal D in response to the request signal A. In other words, the shift determining unit 140 does not turn on the switching element of the actuator driving unit 170 when the request signal A is input within the delay time Td. That is, the shift determination unit 140 outputs a signal for turning off the switching element. Thereby, the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 is not switched until the delay time Td ends.

  Next, when it is determined in S36 that the current time is not within the delay time Td, the shift determination unit 140 determines the shift range to be switched and outputs the switching signal D to the current limiting unit 160 (S38). As a result, the motor 410 is driven and the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 is switched. When a new switching request is input within the delay time Td, the shift range that is switched in the automatic transmission 500 is the shift range of the switching request that is input last. On the other hand, when a new switching request is not input within the delay time Td, the shift range switched in the automatic transmission 500 is the shift range in the switching request at the start of the timing determination process.

  If the delay time Td acquired in S34 is 0, the shift determination unit 140 outputs the switching signal D immediately after acquiring the delay signal B. In other words, the shift determination unit 140 outputs the switching signal D immediately after the switching request is input to the request input unit 110. Thereby, the shift range switching start timing is not delayed. When the shift determination unit 140 outputs the switching signal D, the timing determination process ends.

  6 and 7 show an example in which the shift range is switched between the P range and the other ranges, and the P range and the D range are switched. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the shift lever 200 is switched from the P range to the D range at time T1. In the present embodiment, the time T1 is not within the delay time Td. At time T1, the delay setting unit 120 sets a delay time Td. In this embodiment, the delay time Td is about 0.25 seconds. Prior to time T1, the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 is the P range. That is, in the actuator 400, the rotation angle of the motor 410 is fixed so that the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 is the P range.

  At time T2 after a predetermined time has elapsed from time T1, shift lever 200 is switched from the D range to the P range. However, the time T2 is within the delay time Td. That is, at time T2, the delay time Td set at time T1 has not ended. Therefore, actuator 400 does not start driving at time T2. Therefore, the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 maintains the P range.

  At time T3 after a predetermined time has elapsed from time T2, shift lever 200 is switched from the P range to the D range. However, the time T3 is within the delay time Td. Therefore, actuator 400 is not driven at time T3. Therefore, the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 maintains the P range.

  At time T4 after a predetermined time has elapsed from time T3, the delay time Td set at time T1 ends. At this time, the shift range of the shift lever 200 is the D range. Therefore, at time T4, shift determination unit 140 outputs a switching signal D for switching the shift range of automatic transmission 500 from the P range to the D range. Thereby, at time T4, the actuator 400 starts driving.

  At a time T5 after a predetermined time has elapsed from the time T4, the driving of the actuator 400 is finished, and the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 is switched to the D range. Note that the shift lever 200 maintains the D range from time T4 to time T5.

  In the example shown in FIG. 7, the shift lever 200 is switched from the P range to the D range at time T6. In the present embodiment, the time T6 is not within the delay time Td. At time T6, the delay setting unit 120 sets a delay time Td. Prior to time T6, the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 is the P range.

  At time T7 after a predetermined time has elapsed from time T6, the shift lever 200 is switched from the D range to the P range. However, the time T7 is within the delay time Td. Therefore, actuator 400 is not driven at time T7. Therefore, the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 maintains the P range.

  At time T8 after a predetermined time has elapsed from time T7, the shift lever 200 is switched from the P range to the D range. However, the time T8 is within the delay time Td. Therefore, actuator 400 is not driven at time T8. Therefore, the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 maintains the P range.

  The delay time Td ends at time T9 after a predetermined time has elapsed from time T8. At this time, the shift range of the shift lever 200 is the D range. Therefore, at time T9, shift determination unit 140 outputs switching signal D for switching the shift range of automatic transmission 500 from the P range to the D range. Thereby, at time T9, the actuator 400 starts driving.

  At time T10 after a predetermined time has elapsed from time T9, the shift lever 200 is switched from the D range to the P range. At this time, the actuator 400 is driven to change the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 from the P range to the D range. Note that the time T10 is not within the delay time Td.

  At a time T11 after a predetermined time has elapsed from the time T10, the driving of the actuator 400 is completed, and the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 is switched to the D range. The time T11 is not within the delay time Td. At time T11, the delay setting unit 120 does not set the delay time Td. Therefore, at time T11, the shift determination unit 140 outputs a switching signal D for switching the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 from the D range to the P range. As a result, the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 is switched to the P range at time T12 after a predetermined time has elapsed from time T11. Note that the shift determination unit 140 may output the switching signal D at time T10 to switch the shift range of the automatic transmission 500 to the P range.

  Next, effects of the electronic control device 100 described above will be described.

  By the way, when the vehicle is stopped due to a signal waiting or the like, it is conceivable that the user switches the shift range of the shift lever 200 due to user's play, habit or the like. That is, the shift range of the shift lever 200 may be switched for the purpose of not changing the running state of the vehicle.

  On the other hand, in this embodiment, even when a new switching request is input within the delay time Td, the shift range is determined based only on the switching request input last. According to this, the actuator 400 is driven based only on the last input switching request. Therefore, the drive frequency of the actuator 400 in the actuator drive part 170 can be reduced. Therefore, the actuator 400 and the actuator driving unit 170 can be prevented from becoming high temperature.

  In this embodiment, when a request for switching to the P range is input, the delay time Td is shortened. For this reason, it is possible to suppress delay in switching to the P range. According to this, for example, when the user gets off immediately after switching the shift lever 200 to the P range, it is difficult for the vehicle to move when getting off. That is, the user can get off while the movement of the vehicle is suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, when the first suppression mode is set in addition to the normal mode, the delay setting unit 120 does not set the delay time Td when a request for switching to the P range is input. According to this, it is possible to effectively suppress delay in switching to the P range.

  In the present embodiment, when the temperature of the motor 410 is low, the delay setting unit 120 shortens the delay time Td as compared with the case where the temperature of the motor 410 is high. According to this, when the temperature of the motor 410 is low, it is possible to suppress delay of switching of the shift range. On the other hand, when the temperature of the motor 410 is high, the driving frequency of the actuator 400 in the actuator driving unit 170 can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the actuator driver 170 and the actuator 400 from becoming high temperature. According to the above, it is possible to suppress the actuator 400 and the actuator driving unit 170 from becoming high temperature while suppressing delay of the shift range switching.

  In the present embodiment, when the first suppression mode in which the temperature of the motor 410 is lower than that in the second suppression mode is set, when a request for switching from another range to the P range is input, the delay time Td is Not set. Furthermore, when the normal mode in which the temperature of the motor 410 is lower than that in the first suppression mode and the second suppression mode is set, the delay time Td is not set. Therefore, when the temperature of the motor 410 is low, it is possible to effectively suppress delay of the shift range switching.

  In the present embodiment, when the second suppression mode in which the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than that in the normal mode and the first suppression mode is set, the drive current of the actuator 400 is limited. Therefore, it can suppress that the actuator drive part 170 and the actuator 400 become high temperature. On the other hand, when the normal mode and the first suppression mode in which the temperature of the motor 410 is lower than that in the second suppression mode are set, the drive current of the actuator 400 is not limited. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a decrease in response of the actuator 400. According to the above, it is possible to suppress the actuator drive unit 170 and the actuator 400 from becoming high temperature while suppressing the responsiveness of the actuator 400 from decreasing.

  In the present embodiment, when the temperature of the motor 410 is higher than the third threshold Th3, the actuator driver 170 does not drive the actuator 400 even if a shift range switching request is input. Therefore, it is possible to effectively suppress the actuator driving unit 170 and the actuator 400 from becoming high temperature.

(Second Embodiment)
In the present embodiment, description of parts common to the electronic control device 100 shown in the first embodiment is omitted. FIG. 9 is a timing chart when the first suppression mode is set. On the other hand, FIG. 10 is a timing chart when the second suppression mode is set.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the delay time Td set when the first suppression mode is set and the shift lever 200 is switched from the P range to another range is set to the first delay. This is indicated as time Td1. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the delay time Td set when the second suppression mode is set and the shift lever 200 is switched from the P range to another range is set as the second delay time Td2. Show. Furthermore, a delay time Td that is set when the second suppression mode is set and the shift lever 200 is switched to the P range is denoted as a third delay time Td3.

  In the present embodiment, the first delay time Td1 is shorter than the second delay time Td2. Furthermore, the third delay time Td3 is shorter than the second delay time Td2. In the present embodiment, the first delay time Td1 is substantially equal to the third delay time Td3. The first delay time Td1 and the third delay time Td3 are, for example, about 0.25 seconds. The second delay time Td2 is, for example, about 0.5 seconds.

  In the present embodiment, the shift range switching start timing, the actuator driving unit 170 and the actuator 400 can be controlled with higher accuracy than in the first embodiment. In other words, it is possible to effectively suppress the actuator drive unit 170 and the actuator 400 from becoming high temperature while effectively suppressing the shift of the shift range from being delayed.

(Third embodiment)
In the present embodiment, description of parts common to the electronic control device 100 shown in the first embodiment is omitted.

  In the present embodiment, when a request for switching from the R range to the D range is input, the delay setting unit 120 shortens the delay time Td compared to when switching from the P range to another range. Similarly, when a switching request from the D range to the R range is input, the delay setting unit 120 shortens the delay time Td compared to when switching from the P range to another range.

  As shown in FIG. 11, in the present embodiment, when a switching request from the R range to the D range is input, the delay setting unit 120 does not set the delay time Td. Similarly, when a switching request from the D range to the R range is input, the delay setting unit 120 does not set the delay time Td. That is, when the shift lever 200 is switched between the R range and the D range, the delay setting unit 120 sets the delay time Td to zero.

  For example, in all control modes of the normal mode, the first suppression mode, and the second suppression mode, when switching between the R range and the D range occurs, the delay setting unit 120 does not set the delay time Td. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the delay setting unit 120 may be configured not to set the delay time Td only when the normal mode is set for switching between the R range and the D range. Further, when the normal mode and the first control mode are set, the delay setting unit 120 may be configured not to set the delay time Td.

  By the way, when parking, the user may frequently switch between the R range and the D range. At this time, it is conceivable that the user operates by misunderstanding the R range and the D range.

  On the other hand, in this embodiment, when a request for switching from the R range to the D range is input, and when a request for switching from the D range to the R range is input, the delay time Td is short. Therefore, it is possible to suppress delay in switching between the R range and the D range. According to this, when the user misunderstands and operates the shift lever 200 during parking, the shift range is switched to the misoperated shift range without delay. And according to this switching, a vehicle moves. Therefore, it is easy for the user to notice a misunderstanding immediately. Therefore, it is easy for the user to park.

  In the present embodiment, when a request for switching between the R range and the D range is input, the timing for starting the shift range switching is not delayed. According to this, it can suppress effectively that switching between R range and D range is delayed. Therefore, even if it is a case where it misoperates and operates when parking, it can make it easy to notice a misunderstanding effectively. Therefore, it is easier for the user to park.

  In the present embodiment, the example in which the delay setting unit 120 does not set the delay time Td in switching between the R range and the D range has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. When a request for switching between the R range and the D range is input, it is sufficient that the delay time Td is at least shortened as compared with the case of switching from the P range to another range.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  In the said embodiment, although the electronic control apparatus 100 showed the example which controls switching between D range, P range, R range, and N range, it does not limit to this. An example in which the electronic control apparatus 100 controls switching between only the D range and the P range may be employed.

  Moreover, although the temperature estimation part 150 showed the example which estimates the temperature of the motor 410 based on the switching signal D in the said embodiment, it is not limited to this. An example in which the temperature of the motor 410 is measured by a temperature sensor can also be employed. In this example, the temperature sensor corresponds to the temperature detection unit described in the claims.

  In the above embodiment, the control mode is set based on the temperature of the motor 410. However, the present invention is not limited to this. An example in which the control mode is set based on the temperature of the actuator driving unit 170 can also be adopted.

  Moreover, although the mode setting part 130 showed the example which performs a mode setting process in the said embodiment, it is not limited to this. An example in which the delay setting unit 120 sets the delay time Td regardless of the temperature of the motor 410 may be employed.

  In the above embodiment, the example in which the delay setting unit 120 does not set the delay time Td when a request for switching to the P range is input has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. When the request for switching to the P range is input, it is sufficient that the delay time Td is at least shortened as compared with the case where the request for switching from the P range to another range is input.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the electronic control apparatus 100 showed the example provided with the request | requirement input part 110, the delay setting part 120, the shift determination part 140, the temperature estimation part 150, the electric current limitation part 160, and the actuator drive part 170. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As long as the electronic control device 100 includes at least the delay setting unit 120, the shift determination unit 140, and the actuator driving unit 170, it can be adopted.

  In the above embodiment, the detailed control for the actuator 400 in each control mode is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. An example in which the drive current is limited when the first control mode is set may be employed. In this example, the amount for limiting the drive current may be changed according to the control mode. For example, the drive current in the first control mode is set to a value of about 90% with respect to the normal mode. Further, the drive current in the second control mode is set to a value of about 70% with respect to the normal mode.

  In the above embodiment, the mode setting unit 130 sets four control modes. However, the present invention is not limited to this. An example in which the mode setting unit 130 sets five or more control modes may be employed. In addition, the value of the delay shortening threshold value and the current limit threshold value described in the claims may be within the rapid temperature range described in the claims or may be outside the range.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Electronic control unit 110 ... Request input part 120 ... Delay setting part 130 ... Mode setting part 140 ... Shift determination part 150 ... Temperature estimation part 160 ... Current limiting part 170 ... Actuator drive part 200 ... Shift lever, 300 ... control unit, 400 ... actuator, 410 ... motor, 412 ... output shaft, 500 ... automatic transmission

Claims (9)

An electronic control unit that controls driving of an actuator (400) in response to a switching request input to switch a shift range of an automatic transmission (500) of a vehicle, and switches the shift range.
Based on the switching request, a delay setting unit (120) that sets a delay time from when the switching request is input to when the shift range starts to be switched;
A shift determining unit (140) for determining the shift range to be switched based on the switching request, and outputting a switching signal after the delay time has elapsed since the switching request was input;
An actuator driving section (170) for driving the actuator based on the switching signal;
With
When a new switching request is input within the delay time, the shift determination unit determines the shift range based on the switching request input last,
When the switching request to the parking range is input, the delay setting unit shortens the delay time compared to the case where the switching request from the parking range to the shift range other than the parking range is input. Electronic control device.   The delay setting unit sets the delay time when the switching request to the shift range other than the parking range is input, and sets the delay time when the switching request to the parking range is input. The electronic control device according to claim 1, which is not set. The electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the shift range other than the parking range includes a reverse range and a drive range.
The delay setting unit, when the switching request from the reverse range to the drive range is input, and when the switching request from the drive range to the reverse range is input, from the parking range An electronic control device that shortens the delay time compared to when the switch request to the shift range other than the parking range is input. The delay setting unit includes:
The delay when the switch request from the shift range other than the reverse range to the drive range is input, and when the switch request from the shift range other than the drive range to the reverse range is input. Set the time,
The delay time is not set when the switching request from the reverse range to the drive range is input and when the switching request from the drive range to the reverse range is input. Electronic control device. A temperature detector (150) for detecting a temperature correlated with the temperature of the actuator driving unit or the actuator and outputting a temperature signal based on the temperature;
A mode setting unit (130) for setting any one of a plurality of control modes based on the temperature signal and outputting a mode signal corresponding to the set control mode;
With
The mode setting unit determines whether the temperature is within a rapid temperature range based on the temperature signal, and sets the rapid parking mode as the control mode when the temperature is within the rapid temperature range,
When the quick parking mode is set, when the switching request to the parking range is input, the delay setting unit receives the switching request from the parking range to the shift range other than the parking range. The electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the delay time is shortened as compared with a case where the delay time is longer. The mode setting unit determines whether the temperature is equal to or less than a delay shortening threshold based on the temperature signal, sets a short delay mode when the temperature is equal to or less than the delay shortening threshold, and the temperature is equal to the delay shortening threshold. Set long delay mode if higher,
The electronic control device according to claim 5, wherein when the short delay mode is set, the delay setting unit shortens the delay time compared to when the long delay mode is set.   The electronic control device according to claim 6, wherein the mode setting unit sets the delay time when the long delay mode is set, and does not set the delay time when the short delay mode is set. A current limiting unit (160) for limiting a driving current for the actuator;
The mode setting unit determines whether the temperature is higher than a current limit threshold based on the temperature signal, sets a normal current mode when the temperature is equal to or lower than the current limit threshold, and the temperature is the current Set the current limit mode if it is higher than the limit threshold,
The electronic control device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein when the current limit mode is set, the current limit unit limits the drive current compared to when the normal current mode is set. . The mode setting unit determines whether or not the temperature is equal to or lower than a switching prohibition threshold higher than an upper limit value of the rapid temperature range based on the temperature signal, and when the temperature is equal to or lower than the switching prohibition threshold, a normal drive mode When the temperature is higher than the switching prohibition threshold, set the drive prohibit mode,
9. The actuator according to claim 5, wherein the actuator driving unit drives the actuator when the normal driving mode is set, and does not drive the actuator when the driving prohibition mode is set. Electronic control device.

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